A Large and Impressive Tsutsugaki Futon Cover: Stylized Plum Blossom

late nineteenth century
64" x 57", 162.5 cm x 145 cm

This impressive old textile is of good size and shows a wonderful tsutsugaki dyed image of a family crest, that of a stylized plum blossom.

This was once used a futon cover. However note the central panel which is of half-width to the two panels that flank it on both sides.

This inserted panel indicates that before this was a flat futon cover it started out being a kimono-shaped duvet called a yogi. It is often the case that these kimono-shaped duvet are re-made into a simpler form of a duvet as was the case here.

The cloth is a cotton warp and a raw silk weft which is why the surface texture is as it is--the accompanying detail photos show this.

The cloth was over dyed: first it was dyed in indigo and then it was dyed in a yellow dye to produce the greenish ground we see. The stylized plum blossom is of a pale indigo tone and has a commanding presence on the futon cover.

This image is appropriate to show at this time of year as it is now--or soon--that in Japan plum blossoms will start emerging through the winter ice which is the reason plum blossoms are a symbol of courage, perseverance and are the heralds of spring.

The cloth itself shows a few mending patches, one of which is illustrated on the last photo here. There is also a hole to the selvedge of the proper right-hand side, also to be seen on the detail photo that accompanies this post.

Grand in its presence and beautiful to look at this old tsutsugaki cloth is very much recommended and will certainly offer a lifetime of visual pleasure.